All posts by lochlomantri

As you can see it is going to be a very wet few days leading up to LOCH loMAN 2016.

Just to reiterate, although the water temperature peaked at 13c (some say 14c) over the weekend, the forecast rain will drop the loch’s temp down to approx 11c or 12c. To make sure athletes get to race with full distance swims neoprene gloves, hat and boots are compulsory for Standard and Middle distance athletes.

We want to make sure you enjoy your swim… but more importantly your bodies and brains are in a warm enough state to go out on the bike course.

Thankfully the wind is forecast to be light, but there will also be rain showers. Much of the course is on high exposed roads so please make sure you get your layering correct for the bike.

The run course is much more sheltered and should make for a pleasant jog.

Should you forget any kit, like gloves or goggles the guys from LOMO will be on site Sunday morning before the start of the race to sell you some. Don’t rely on not getting your stuff until then, hoping they have enough stock though. This is for emergency purchases only.

Not much has changed, except a difference to the run course due to ongoing building works at the Cameron House gate house.

The water is currently sitting at 12c. There is a fair bit of rain forecast over the next few days. With our rule exemption for mandatory boots, gloves and hats we are 99.9% certain of having full distance swims.

Please check your name is on the below list. If it is and you previously asked to defer please email alan@hahacomedy.co.uk ASAP

Hello, I have been working (and drinking) at the Australian comedy festivals for the past 3 months. If you have been trying to contact me but not yet had a reply, sorry. I have a huge pile of emails to plough through.

There has been fresh snowfall on the Southern Munros and as such the loch is still BALTIC… Tri Scotland referee Robert McCulloch and the guys from Lomond Masters had a wee swim over the weekend and the temp is 6.4c. That’s a whole degree colder than this time last year.

Time to start getting your body acclimatised to the cold open water. Start with small, short duration dips and gradually build up your time and effort in the water.

As with last year we strongly advise you purchase neoprene gloves, boots and hat. These can be purchased locally at Lomo. The event has a rules exemption allowing boots and gloves to be worn by athletes in the water. As with last year, it will become compulsory to wear them during the swim if the water temperature is below 12.5c.

It is our utmost aim that with this rule exemption and no matter the water temperature, we will have full distance swims for the sprint and standard. Keeping the middle swim at the full distance is going to be more tricky.

As with last year we will have heated marquees for transition changing. We have also acquired a large quantity of carpeting for transition and some of the run from beach to transition.

Registration & Transition set up times

Sorry, there has been a wee bit of confusion about registration times. The correct times are:

Middle Distance

Registration – Saturday afternoon 12noon – 6pm*

Transition set up – Sunday 5.30am – 6.30am

Standard Distance

Registration – Saturday afternoon 12noon – 6pm*

Transition set up – Sunday 5.30am – 7am

Sprint Distance

Registration – Saturday afternoon 12noon – 6pm & Sunday 7am – 7.30am

Transition set up – Sunday 5.30am – 8am

*There will be facilities for a very small number of athletes travelling from far away and not staying overnight near the race venue to register in the morning of the race. You must arrange this in advance.

Photo ID and / or TS race license required for registration

CUT OFF TIMES

A few of you have been asking about cut off times. Our main concern is the amount of time you are in the cold water and the duration that cyclists are on the early section of the A82 from Balloch R/about to Arden R/about.

Most of you have estimated a 1900m swim time of 45mins or below. You might be able to swim that pace in the pool no problem, but in colder water it will take you significantly longer.

There’s no point in swimming 1900m in under 45mins if you are going to get hypothermia. So, depending on the water temperature, the swim cut offs will be decided closer to event day by Robert our Tri Scotland Technical Official in conjunction with Alan and the head of water safety.

Once you are out on the bike there will be no official cut off for those in the Standard or Sprint distance events. Just get yourselves round the course quickly and safely

For Middle distance athletes the longest that your own estimates have stated for Swim & Bike time is 5hrs 45mins, so the cut off for getting back to T2 – 12.45pm. This will allow us to open the car park at 1pm.

Thanks to everyone who has submitted event feedback and highlighted timing issues. We will get those sorted in the next day or so and the finalised times posted here and sent to Triathlon Scotland for race rankings.

So, what next? One of the most fun events on the Scottish Tri calendar is Lomond Masters Beastie Triathlon. It takes place as part of the Balloch Highland Games so there is always a fun family atmosphere.

The original Loch Lomond Triathlon. Perfect for those new to triathlon. Short swim, easy off road bike through Balloch park and a wee jog. All as part of the Balloch Highland Games, so a great day for the family.

If that is too short a race length for you, then look what we’ve got up our sleeves for next year LOCH longMAN .

Based once again in Balloch, LOCH longMAN will feature a 2.4mile swim, 113 mile cycle and a 26.2 mile run.

If you thought the tarmac of the Haul Rd was in excellent condition, then you will be amazed to know that Coulport’s is even nicer with spectacular views down Firth of Clyde towards Arran.

Gareloch looking north to the Arrochar Alps, The Cobbler and Ben Nanairn.Kilcreggan looking across to Greenock and Dunoon.Coulport’s Peaton Hill. Makes the Glen Fruin climb look like a downhill.Top of Coulport’s Peaton Hill looking towards Faslane.

LOCH longMAN will take place in late summer 2016. There will be a small test event in September 2015. More details to follow.

Less than a 30 minute drive from Scotland’s Largest city, Glasgow, the LOCH longMAN course uses some of the quietest, but best maintained, roads in the UK. Added to that it has some of the best views of any triathlon course. Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond, Arrochar Alps, 2 nuclear bases, the Firth of Clyde, Arran, Ailsa Craig, Loch Long and two whisky distilleries.

LOCH loMAN will still take place in late May/ early June in a similar format to last weekend’s races. LOCH loMAN was created to give Scottish athletes a tough middle distance tri to train at a month prior to the main European iron distance races.

This morning the ache in your legs will have reminded you of the ordeal you went through yesterday. Yesterday’s conditons mean that for many of you it was the hardest day of triathlon racing you have endured / enjoyed. In the days and months to come your memory will fade.

LOCH loMAN Standard Distance Triathlon swim startHear no evil, see no evil, speak of evil then point at evil.Dropping towards Faslane faster than the career of Submariner who leaked safety documents.Glen Fruin climb. Otherwise known as “That B@$7@RD hill”.After all those hills on the bike this Yorkshire triathlete’s enjoying the flat riverside run.

Your feedback please

It has been great reading so many of your race reports on various Facebook pages. Yesterday was the first edition of LOCH loMAN. As a first time triathlon race director I have learned a hell of a lot from yesterday. I want to make this race into one of the best on the Scottish calendar – the route deserves it to one day become a championship event. Yes I know that means more hard work, doing things a bit different and making changes. Several small errors were made yesterday, however I hope that once they were identified the team did their best to rectify them rapidly.

To help me make the necessary improvement please fill in the below feedback form. Please be as candid as possible.

Thank you for racing and thank you for taking the time to help me improve things for future events.